Kara
The warlock walked three paces ahead of me. I didn’t trust him enough to blindly lead him to where we camped. Who knows what tricks he had up his sleeves? As we trekked through the woods I took time to study him. His face had a familiar feel about it and I thought hard about who he looked like, but I came up blank. As I studied him I could only imagine what type of person he was. He dressed like no other warlock I had met. On his head, he wore a black top hat; he wore a red velvet coat that fell to his knees; his pants were black as well as his knee-high leather boots; and around his waist was a red sash in a bow. He wasn’t dressed for the cold of the White Mountains but warlocks had all sorts of spells that could keep them warm.
We had walked in silence for a short time before we reached the road. It was quiet and no one was around. I dashed across the road and stopped just inside the cave. I slid to a stop. It was empty. Tiara and Daniel were gone. Where they were, I had no idea. Why would they leave without me? I was too astounded to notice the warlock behind me.
He cleared his throat. “Your friends seem to be gone.”
Turning around, I frowned at him. “Yes.”
“Would you like help tracking them down?”
I walked back past him out of the cave. “No, I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?” he said.
I turned away from him and examined the ground. There were no tracks from any animals and no scent seemed to linger in the air. It was almost like they had never been here.
“It seems like they have left no trace.” He stepped forward and picked up a clump of snow.
“There should be footprints. It hasn’t snowed since last night.” I walked forward and tried to find any trace, nothing.
“It is possible that this top layer of snow slipped off the mountain and covered their tracks.”
I turned to look at him. He had a point.
“See how the snow isn’t flat.” He dropped the clump of snow and ran his fingers across the ground.
“I guess it’s possible.” If he was right, then it was probable that if I followed the road I would find tracks.
“Even if you can find tracks, is there a way for you to know for sure if the tracks are from your friends. This road is the main route through the mountains.”
“What do you suggest then?”
“I have a spell that can track your friends but I need something with a connection to them.”
“I don’t have anything.”
“You said that one of them is your bond mate.”
I nodded.
“Then I can use you.” He stepped towards me.
I stepped back. “I don’t think so.”
He smiled. “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt or have any lasting effects.”
“How am I meant to trust you? I don’t know who you are or your name.”
“Let me rectify that. The name is Jasper Nayda, warlock and friend to all those in the White Mountains.” He removed his hat and bowed. “And I solemnly swear that I shall not harm you or your friends, if we find them, in any way.” He placed his hat back on his head.
“You could be lying.”
His smile slipped from his lips. “You are a paranoid one, aren’t you?”
“I’m a familiar. In the world, we live in, it pays to be paranoid.”
“Fair enough.” He placed his hands behind his back. “But what other choice do you have but to trust me.”
Taking the chance that I found their tracks was risky. Jasper Nayda could have all sorts of motives, but he had done nothing but try to help me so far. Giving him the benefit of the doubt could be stupid but it was the best course of action. I needed to find Tiara and he was the way I was going to do it.
“We have a deal,” I said.
His smile returned. “Excellent. We will need to go back to my house and get what I need for the spell.”
I frowned. “That will waste time. Who knows how far they will get and what sort of trouble they will find.”
“I wasn’t planning on doing any spells when I left this morning, therefore everything I need is at home. If you want me to do the spell you are going to have to come with me.” He gestured back into the trees where we had come from. “It won’t take us long to get there.”
There was no choice. I walked past him and off the road. “This better be quick.”
He clapped his hands and followed me.
***
Thirty minutes later I was still following Jasper to his home. I was ready to turn around, and try to find Tiara on my own, but I no longer recognised my surroundings. The trees were closer together and the snow wasn’t as deep. There was a warmth in the air that I had never felt while being on the White Mountains.
Jasper stopped suddenly. He placed his hand on the trunk of a tree and said “Open.”
I felt the buzz of magic, and looked around. All I could see were trees.
Jasper stepped forward and he was gone. He had disappeared. Not a single trace or him anywhere.
Moving towards where he had stood I could feel the buzzing of magic increase. I reached out my paw past the tree Jasper had touched. I felt a pull and my paw slipped through rippling air. It was some sort of magical door.
Before I could decide to step through on my time, a hand grabbed my paw from the other side and yanked me through. I stumbled through and landed on my side. Jasper was standing beside me looking down at me.
“Sorry about that, but the door is on a timer. Take too long to step through and it could cut you in half.”
I stood up. “You could have explained that before you just disappeared in front of me.”
“Yes, I could have.” He dusted off his hands and spun around.
I turned to follow him and froze at the sight before me. On the outside, the cluster of trees looked like nothing more than trees. There was no way anyone would ever think that a house was hidden inside. But here stood an extremely large home. Built from old stone and wood, the house looked like it had only recently been built. Vines and flowers covered every inch, and it was surrounded by a large meadow filled with wild flowers. The colours seemed to shine in the sunlight that was filtering through the trees.
Jasper stopped on the wooden porch and turned to me. “I thought we didn’t have time to waste?”
Shaking off my amazement I ran up the cobble path and stopped beside him on the porch. “No, we don’t.”
Jasper opened the door and inside his home was just as beautiful as the outside. It felt warm and cozy. We passed through the entrance hall and on either side, large arches opened into a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen. A set of double doors, that sat slightly ajar, led to a study. Jasper pulled the doors shut as we walked pass. He led me pass the staircase and into a large back room.
The room looked like a study. Books filled the shelves that lined the walls. A large table in the middle held books, plants and ingredients sorted into jars. The room seemed an organised mess.
Jasper removed his hat and coat and threw them on a chair in the corner. He rolled up his sleeves and jumped on a ladder. He grabbed a book from the shelf and flipped through the pages, as he climbed down. He read in a mumbled voice to himself before he began grabbing things. He crushed them all inside a small pot. The way he moved around the room appeared as if he was dancing. A look of joy filled his eyes. It was clear that he loved doing spells.
Jasper suddenly stopped and smacked the book shut. He picked up the bowl and walked around the table so he stood in front of me. He smiled, and said, “I promise this won’t hurt or have any side effects. Just stand still.” He scooped the mixture from the bowl and held it in his palm. He held it in front of me and blew it into his face.
I coughed and blinked to get the dust from my eyes. I shook my body hoping to get it all off. “What the hell!” I glared at him.
He frowned. “Shh!” He held his hand over my head. “Show us the way.”
My body tingled and I felt a pull in my chest. I turned and followed the pull, it was leading me out the house.
“Do you feel it?” said Jasper.
I nodded. “It’s like a pulling in my chest.”
He smiled. “I’m glad that worked.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve never tried that spell on something alive before.”
“You mean to say that you used me as a test?”
“Not intentionally.” He clapped his hands together. “No need to worry though. The spell was a success and now we can find your friends.” He grabbed his coat and hat.
I followed him back down the hall. “You said that this spell would have no side effects.”
He shrugged. “It shouldn’t.”
“Shouldn’t isn’t the same as none.”
“Well, there is no excitement in life if you don’t take some risks.”
“This wasn’t meant to be a risk!” I yelled.
He shrugged again and turned into the kitchen.
I stopped and sat. I was sick of following him around. Jasper seemed completely insane. He had lied to me about the spell but I could feel the tugging in my chest, it seemed to have worked.
The front door opening brought me from my thoughts. I turned my head and there stood a young man. He wore a pair of brown slacks and a white shirt that was covered in dirt. Over his shoulder he was holding a sack. He frowned at me and dropped the sack.
“Jasper!” he called out. “You here?”
Jasper’s footsteps echoed as he slid out of the kitchen. “Theo, you’re back.” Jasper smiled. “Were you successful?”
Theo dropped the sack on the floor. “Yes and no.”
“What do you mean?” said Jasper.
“Well, Mr Dawson didn’t have his usually supply of items. He was stopped by Queen’s guard on his way from the capital. They confiscated all the things you required.”
“Oh,” said Jasper. “So you went and found them yourself?”
Theo slowly shook his head. “No.”
Jasper’s smile slipped into a heavy glare. “Please tell me that you didn’t go and find the guards.”
“Okay, I won’t.”
“Theodore!”
“I know, okay, I know. But you said that we needed it, and Mr Dawson has a family to feed. I was helping more than just myself.”
Jasper sighed and rubbed his hands across his face. “I understand that you wanted to help. But you know why you can’t just go running into the capital. If someone recognised you-”
“They would have me arrested and killed. I know.” Theo crossed his arms over his chest. It was clear in his eyes that he didn’t want to disappoint Jasper. “I promise not to do it again.”
Jasper smile returned. “Good.”
“Now do you want to explain?” Theo gestured at me. “I thought your days of bringing home random animals was over.”
Jasper laughed. “She isn’t a random animal. She is a familiar. I’m simple helping her get back to her bond-mate. They got separated.”
Theo slowly nodded.
“Theo let me introduce you to-” Jasper frowned. He thought for a moment, then looked at me. “I don’t believe I know your name.”
“It’s Kara,” I said.
“What a wonderful name.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
“Kara this is Theo, my apprentice. Theo this is Kara.”
Theo looked at me strangely. “Hello Kara.”
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